Workshop offers producers tips to expand sales using 'Maps and Apps'

PIKETON, Ohio - Ohio food producers who want to increase their markets, grow their customer bases, improve profitability and increase visibility can learn strategies on how to leverage mobile media marketing during an April 24 workshop offered by Ohio State University Extension.

The "Maps and Apps" workshop will teach participants how to make the most of mobile media marketing as a way their businesses can benefit from free listings on Internet maps, GPS systems and mobile apps, said Julie Fox, direct marketing specialist with the Ohio State University South Centers at Piketon, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and OSU Extension.

OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Statistics show that 91 percent of U.S. residents have their mobile devices within reach 24 hours a day and research shows that consumers do more than 3 billion local searches each month for products and services nearby, said Fox, who will lead the workshop.

"Ohio food businesses need to have a mobile presence to compete in today's multiscreen world," she said. "The Direct Marketing team accessed resources from the North Central Risk Management Education Center to bring this program to Ohio farmers and other food entrepreneurs.

Workshop participants will:

* See how a business looks to mobile customers in order to improve visibility, "findability" and interaction.

* Understand how farmers and other food businesses benefit from free listings on Internet maps, GPS systems and mobile applications.

* Tap into mobile media marketing resources that make sense for specific business goals.

* Learn how to integrate maps, apps and mobile media marketing into marketing plans and practices.

The workshop will be held at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, on Ohio State's main campus. The registration deadline is April 19.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost is $75 per person and $25 for each additional person from the same business. Registration includes materials, morning refreshments and lunch.

The program will also offer information on other social media and mobile media marketing opportunities such as texting, coupons, two-dimensional codes, geocaching and mobile commerce.

Businesses that leverage the Internet, mobile apps and other mobile media can significantly benefit, as research shows that 75 percent of smartphone owners use their devices to get real-time, location-based information such as directions or recommendations, Fox said.

For more information on the workshop or to register, contact Julie Moose at 740-289-2071, ext. 223, or e-mail moose.14@osu.edu.

To find out more about the Ohio Marketing Connections program, go to http://go.osu.edu/MapsAndApps.

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